Community News

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT
Chris Chope OBE MP - Working for all constituents in Christchurch & East Dorset

Constituency Office: Christchurch & East Dorset Conservative Association
18a Bargates, Christchurch, Dorset BH23 1QL

House of Commons, Westminster, London, SW1A OAA

For surgery details please telephone 01202 474949
Party Agent: Judy Jamieson MBE - Email: judy.jamieson@conservatives.com

WAYFINDERS
Free impartial and confidential information for the over 50s.
If you want some help or information on:
* Benefits *Social Activities *Learning Opportunities *Care Agencies *Keeping Healthy *Legal Issues *Housing Options *Safety & Security *Local issues or anything else that concerns you, please contact your local Wayfinders Sue (07971 338479) or Pauline (07971 338673). The Wayfinders central contact number is 01305 213345.
There is also a home moving support service, which is totally charitable, known as “Moving On”. The registered charity is "Help and Care". For the full details contact 0300 111 3303. The local POPP Community Leader is Heather Teasdale - Telephone: 07747 446358, email: heather.teasdale@helpandcare.org.uk
Advice is also available from Sue or Pauline as detailed above.

Vision Wimborne Dialaride is a charity and provides door-to-door transport for those who cannot use public transport because of disability or lack of services.  Charges are reasonable; the service is run entirely by volunteers and has the support of St Leonards & St Ives Parish Council.  The contact number is 01202 880699.

Out of Hours GP Service
The Out of Hours GP Service for Dorset and Somerset is called the Urgent Care Service and is delivered by South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust. The Service operates out of hours when your GP surgery is closed  and is for medical problems that cannot wait until your surgery re-opens. Hours of opening are 6.30pm in the evening until 08.00am the following morning and all day/night on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. You access the Service by ringing 0845 600 1013. A call taker will take your demographic details and a brief history of your problem. At this point the call taker will rule out life threatening symptoms and if appropriate pass you to 999. Once your   details are taken, you will be called back within the hour by a General Practitioner or Nurse for a more in depth assessment. If your condition can be managed at home you will be given advice. If it is felt you need to be seen, you will be offered an appointment to see a GP or Nurse Practitioner in one of seven treatment centres in Dorset. For those that are house bound a home visit can be made by a General Practitioner or Emergency Care Practitioner. Once your consultation has been completed the details are sent to your GP surgery by 08.00 hours the following day.

St. Leonards Community Hospital
The St. Leonards League of Friends provides voluntary support for St. Leonards Community Hospital, giving service and raising funds to improve facilities and equipment. All donations received are applied in full to benefit the hospital patients and staff. For further detail call 01202 861997 or visit www.stleonardsfriends.co.uk

Internet Cafe
Braeside Village Hall now offers upgraded Broadband Service and computer classes. For further detail  on courses, a copy of the syllabus, or to book a place please call Viv Frecknall on 01425 476558.

TaxHelp for Older People (TOP)
If you are over 60 and your income is below £15,000 and you would like independent tax advice contact TOP on 0845 6013321 or write to TaxHelp for Older People, Pineapple Business Park, Salway Ash, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5DB

Ringwood (including St Ives and Ashley Heath) & Fordingbridge Club for the Blind
This club meets at 2-4 pm on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month at Ringwood Greyfriars Activities Centre. There is also a home visit team who can offer help and advice to housebound members. Please contact Secretary: Telephone Kate on 07564470924 or Mary on 07944724419 for details. New members and volunteers are always most welcome

Home Start
Come rain or shine, Home-Start Families Dorset are here to help
During 2009, Home-Start helped approx. 160 families and will continue to help many more this year.
Home-Start is a voluntary organisation that offers emotional and practical help to young families with children under five.
Home-Start volunteers must have had practical experience with parenting, and will visit families in their own homes to offer friendship and help with any problems the family may be experiencing.
Parents ask for Home-Start help for all sorts of reasons, including:

• They may feel isolated in their community, have no family nearby and be struggling to make friends
• They may be finding it hard to cope because of their own or a child's physical or mental illness
• They may have been hit hard by the death of a loved one
• They may be really struggling with the emotional and physical demands of having twins or triplets – perhaps born into an already large family

For more detail, call 01202 574877 or email:office@homestartsoutheastdorset.org.uk

Befriending Scheme
Available to anyone over 50. Through regular visits or telephone calls, befriending strives to reduce the feeling of isolation. The service liaises closely with other organisations, The Good Neighbour Scheme in Ringwood being just one example. The Befriending Scheme is co-ordinated by Dr. Nicky Dicken-Fuller, who acts as initial link between referrer and client. Referrals can come from NHS doctors, concerned family members/neighbours, clients themselves or through organisations such as Age UK, POPP and Church Schemes. For more detail please contact 01425 472370

Save Our Space (SOS)
Worried about unwanted building developments in the Parish?
 * Look out for yellow planning notices
 * View plans on-line at www.dorsetforyou.com or at the Parish Office, Village Hall, Braeside Road, St. Leonards Tuesday-Friday 10:30-12:30
 * Write to EDDC or post comments on-line
 * Get neighbours involved
 * Attend Parish Council Planning Committee meetings
For further information contact Trish Ward on 01425 476344 or visit www.saveourspace.co.uk

Say No To Purple Haze
With the recent publicity, many of us will know of the fierce campaign in Verwood against the gravel extraction plans by Hampshire County Council (HCC) on a large area of land south of the B3081 (Ringwood to Verwood road). The proposals, outlined in a consultation document, would generate 250,000 tonnes of sand and gravel a year from a site called Purple haze, which borders Moors Valley Country park. The gravel extraction would be followed by landfill. Many Verwood residents share the EDDC opposition views and are campaigning hard to stop the proposals going ahead. You can object to the proposals by contacting:

Hampshire County Council,
Planning Policy for M&W,
The Castle,
Winchester,
SO23 8UD

Alternative contacts are: Planning.policy@hants.gov.uk or www.no2purplehaze.co.uk
Campaign HQ: 01202 233365

Youth Advice & Support Centre

Advice service to young people under 25, every Wednesday 10am-1pm at the Ferndown Core (located directly behind the Youth Club in Mountbatten Drive, Ferndown).
Issues include:

* employment * CV support * housing * money management * consumer rights *benefits *travel and transport * the law

For further detail contact Penny Guy, Youth Advice & Support Centre, on 01202 225714